Photographic apparatus



Jan. 16, 1951 M. N. FAIRBANK PHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed May 13. 1948 INVENTOR Iii Jan. 16, 1951 M. N. FAIRBANK 2,538,511

PHOTOGRAPHIC muuuvrus Filed May 15, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR BY MPatented Jan. 16, 1951 PATENT OFFICE 2,538,511 I rno'roormrmc APPARATUSMurry N. Fairbank, Belmont, Mass, assignor to Polaroid-Corporation,Cambridge, Mass., acorporation ofpelaware Application--May 13,

. 5 Claims.

.This invention relates ...to photography: and more. particularly to"novel; photographic apparatus which is an "improvement over that shownin Patent No.:2,435;717,'which patent, shows a photographic.apparatuspgsuch as. ,a camera, wherein negative and positive sheets maybe separately mounted in theoamera, and negative and positive images maybe. concurrently produced in the two sheets by-bringing-..said.twosheets (into face-to-face relation and'releasing a liquid from one ofsaidsheets andlspreading.saidzliquidtbecarrying the roller;photosensitive sheet.- a 1.

Other objects of the invention areto-(provide a camera of the above typepermitting easy loading and removal'of the: photosensitive .film; spool?to provide a camera which accurately positions this spool; tosprovide 'asimplified construotiongof such a camera and to reduce the cost of sucha camera while increasing its reliability ofoperw These and other inpart be obvious inafter. I

The invention accordingly comprises the-apparatus possessing theconstruction; combination of elements and arrangement of parts which-are exemplified in the following detailed-disclosure, and the scope of-the'application of which. will be indicated in the claims. i

For a fuller understanding of objects of the avenues win and will inpart appear herethe nature and I objects of the invention,referenceshouldbe had to the following detaileddescriptiontakenin connection withthe accompanyingdrawings wherev Figure 1 is a diagrammaticfragmentary-sectional view of one preferred modification -of theinvention shown in the form et a-handheld camera, the right-handportionof 'Fig;-' l being. a section along line -ll of Fig; 2 andthewlefthand portion of Fig. "1 being'a section alongthe center of thecamera;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view the line 2-2; Y 1 a Fig. 3 isafragmentary-sectional viewer-the invention of Fig. 1 with the rear.housing-. -removed and the partition member swung partially open withthe spool partially-tinsel d holder; and m I v Fig. 4 is a plan view ofthespoo ,holde ,Mand partition member looking in the direction-4 4' ofFig. 3, with thel-filnrspool removed ji,

, In general, -this invention relatesto oamer as of: Fig. 1v taken. alon1948, Serial No. 26,800

of the type comprising means for holding aroll ofvphotosensitive;sheetsuch as,:a commercial silver" halide photosensitive film, means for;exposing-sequential areas of the photosensitive film and:means forprocessing the exposed silver halide-area toiatleast develop a negativeimage therein, 'by spreading, a, processing liquid :between the exposedareaand another sheetalso supplied ;by gthei: camera. -This second;sheet preferably asupport'sra plurality of; liquid-carrying containersat spaced intervals lonone surface thereof', ;this "surf-acebeingbroughtlinto face-to-face relation 'withythe exposed image area-10fthe silver-halide photosensitive film and the-processing being:accomplished by passingthe thussuperposed film andyzsheett-between a,pair of pressure rolls car- :ried-zbyythe camera "to cause 'the releaserand spreading 1 of; the liquid between corresponding areas of the filmand sheet. Ifhe aboveyprocess- 0-irig preferably. produces a positive.image on" the secondsheetand this latter sheet is hereinafter referredto asaa' positiveimage-receivingi sheet. The present-invention" is moreparticularly; directed'to'improvements in the. means for holdingv-the'spooliof photosensitive film. 'I-hese improvements' areaccomplished by several featuresiof I the invention involving 1 thepositioning of the =-spool-holding' meansv and the :constructlonthereof-hereinafter described. .1, 30 "-Inthe preferred fOI'mTOf cameraembodying "the -present invention, 'there is preferablyineluded :awfronthousing carrying 'a lens and. :shutter assembly, arear housingand apartition ;-member between -these housin'gs, the partition -member beingpreferably hingedwto the front housing. The partition member defines;-an-:exposure chamber with the front housing and defines a dark chamberwith the rearghousing. lhe two housing members preferably. provideeaposi- 4.0 tive sheet-holding :chamber betweenportions thereof: Apair-of;,processing means; preferably apair'of pressure'rolls, areincludedin the camera; one of the rol-ls: being preferably carried-by anendbf the partition member and the, other 45. being preferablypcarriedbythe-rear housing. A 1 portion of the: frontehousing, is preferablyenlarged. to provide a space within which the spool "of photosensivefilm mayba positioned; A spool ,holder is provided on the partitionmember,- and 50 so=holds the :spool therein,that upon movement .;.of thepartition-into operative relationship-with the front housing .thespoolis positioned :within the-spaceformed by the-enlarged portionof.th9,f101'lt, housing. .The. spool holder -preferably eic m s a a emembs having bi urcat d for each end of the spool.

' portion of the slot defined by edges 44%.

3 legs and a connecting yoke secured to the partition member. Each ofsaid bifurcated legs pref-- erably comprises a pair of coplanar definingtherebetween a slot having a widened circular portion in which thespindle of the spool may be held. The plane of the two arms of a pair ispreferably normal to the spool axis and normal to the plane ,of thepartition member while the connecting yoke is parallel to the plane ofthe partition member. This yoke is preferably so lated to the partitionmember as to increase the resilience of one of the arms of each pair.Thus, when the spindle is inserted in the slot between these two one ofthe arms is readily moved within its plane until the spindle reaches thewidened circular portion of the slot, allowing the arm to move back toits original position and thus to lock the spool in place. a

Referring now to Fig. l there is shown one preferred form on theinvention as embodied in a hand-held camera. In this figure, Hirepresents the-camera generally, the camera being shown as comprising afront housing 1'2, a rear housing l4 and a partition member I 6,hingedly connected at l5'to front housing i2.

supports a usual bellows l8 carrying a lens and shutter assemblyschematicall indicated at20. Fol-defining an exposureopenin there isprovvided'a hole'22 in front housing I 2. Behind opening 22 there ispositioned a backing plate 24 car- 2 ried by the partition !B,-'thebacking plate holding an area of a photosensitive film 26in the focalplane of the camera. At one end of front housing I 2 there is providedan enlarged portion defining a space 28 in which a spool 30 carrying thefilm may be positioned. At the'otherend of the front'housing is a secondenlarged portion defining a space 32 in which a coil of a receivingsheet 34 may be positioned.

Forholding'spool 30 there is provided a spool holderindicatedgenerally-at 35, this holder preferably comprising a Ushaped elementhaving a yoke and two spool-end-engaging legs, one leg Reference toFigs. 2, 3 and 4, where like numbers refer to like elements, is helpfulin an understanding of the construction shown. Each spool-engaging le ispreferably normal to partition i6 and comprises two coplanar armsindicated at 38 and 4B. A

slot between these arms is defined by facing edges offlthe arms 38' and40, these being indicated at 42, 44 and 45. Edges 42 are substantiallypar- The top portions 4! of Fig; '3), to be forced down into-the slotdefined byedges 42 until the spindle reaches the circular Arms 38 andare preferably formed from a single sheet of metal having a connectingyoke 48 with which arms 38 and 4B are integrally connected. Yoke 48preferably is parallel to partition [6 and that part "48a thereof,carrying arm 40, is spaced from partition l6. This spacing isaccomplished, in

"the preferred construction,by providing a ridge on the surface ofpartition 16. As seen best in Fig. 4, ridge 50 is preferably T-shaped,the leg of the T being shown at 50a. The major port-ion of the yoke 48is fixedly secured to the upper surface of ridge BIB-50a such as by spotwelding.

under a-bending stress applied thereto by a force The front housingexerted on arm 40. The outwardly tapering slot flexibility of portionsthereof toprovide for easy insertion and removalv of the spool. A pairof slots 49 (see Fig. 4), extending partially across yoke v'48, isolatethe two portions 48a, supporting arms 40, from the central portion ofthe yoke secured to ridge 50a, to facilitate the flexing of theunsupportedportions 48a of the yoke.

As can be seen more clearly from Fig. 2, each -.of arms;38-and 40preferably has an inclined intermediate portion 52 which holds upperportions of each arm in a plane spaced inwardly of the plane of thelower portions. This spacing decreases the area of these arms whichcanlcontact the flange on the spool and accurately posi into the focalplane of the camera at such an angle that back tension on the film doesnot rock the backing plate 24.

For accomplishing the processing of the exposed area of photosensitivefilmZfi thereis provided a processing means shown, in a preferred form,as comprising .a pair of pressure ro1ls158 and 6H. Roll-58 is carried bya=pairof .armsJSZ supported by a hinge 614 secured to .partition 16.

Roll 60 is preferably carried b a support .65 .secured to rear cover 14.For applying aresilient load to rolls 58B0 thereispre'ferably provided apressure member 68 bearing on arms ASEland under a spring pressure dueto a spring .10. A preferred form of receiving sheetu includes acontainer 12 on one surface thereof, 'this' container carrying a,processing liquid "M therein,

this liquid being preferably viscous and comprising an alkaline aqueoussolutionof a developer, 2. film-forming material and a silver halidesolvent.

When this viscous liquid is released and spread between the film andreceiving sheetit laminates these two elements "together andconcurrently forms a negative in the film and a positive on thereceiving sheet. This processing takes places in the dark chamberdefinedby' the rear 'housing 14 and the partition member I S. 'Forpemittizig-a"- cess to the dark chamber to removethe finished.

positive there is provided a door Hi. When the door is opened a lightseal blade 18 prevents passage of light to the pressure'rollportion ofthe camera. For guiding thefilm in the dark'?chamber there is included apair of tabs-8G stamped out of partition l6 and bent perpendicularlythereto. A can be seenbest-in'Fi'g. i, a"- portion of the yoke 48 of thespool holder covers the hole left by punching out the tab' Strand thusprevents light from passing to unexposed ='fi1m when the door 16 isopened. Suitable other light'seals and latches are provided formaintaining the light-tightness of the camera interior.

In the use of the camera described'above, the

asses 1 1 slot 42 and reaches the circular slot defined by edges 44, arm48 swings back to its original positiohQthus' locking the spool inplace. A leader portion of the film isthen led across roll 5%,

"ac oss backing plate 24, placed between the two arms- 62 and led aroundpressure r011 58 carried by arms 62 The partition member [6 is thensivufng to theposi'tion shown in Fig. 1, the spool ef-film occupying thespace 28 therefore. The wire: receiving sheet is now placed in thecylin- 'drical space 32 therefor and a leader portion of thereceiving'sheet, preferably secured to the film leader, is aligned withthe film leader, these two {leadersbeing fed along the back of partition16, f'between'tab's 80, carried by the partition, and past theright-hand end of the camera. The rear housing is now swung to closedposition, thus forming the dark chamber with the partition, bringingroll 6i] into operative relationship with roll' 58, and forming a mouth82 with the front housing, theleader portions of the film and sheetextending throughthe mouth 82.

- An unexposed frame of film 26 is now moved to exposure position behindopening 22, a corresponding area of receiving sheet being advancedsoasto be superposable with the exposed film area," the proper positionof these areas being preferably accomplished by a stop of the typeshown' in the copending application of Murry N. 'Fairbank, Serial No.15,138, filed March 16, 1948. After exposure the two sheets areadvanced, the 7 container 12 preceding the exposed film area and 'the"corresponding receiving: sheet area between the pressureirolls, theserolls releasing liquid H5 I from the container and spreading ituniformly between these two areas to laminate these areas together andtodevelop the above-described negative and positive images. At theconclusion of the processing, after about a minute, the door 16"isopen'ed' and that portion of receiving sheet 34 containing thepositive image is separated from I the lamination, this separation beingpreferably :aided 'by perforations surrounding the positive image area.This processing movement prefer- "ably moves the succeeding film areainto exposure 5 position and this succeeding area may be procjiessed,after exposure, by pulling those portions of the preceding filmandreceiving sheet extending from mouth 82. y

- While a preferred construction of film-holding means, having numerousadvantages of simplicity and cheapness of manufacture, has been shown,-anumber of modification thereof are feasible Within the scope of theinvention. For example ridge 50 on partition 16 can be a washer or otherspacin means. Equally, ridge 58 can be eliminated if the portion 48a ofyoke 48 is in a higher plane than the remainder of yoke 48.

p Such a modification of the invention may be accomplished, for example,by bending the portion 48 ofyoke 48 upwardly or b forming yoke 48 yoftwo'- separate pieces, the portion 48a being placed' over-the otherportion. Equally, partition.

yoke 48 between the nated.

- I limay be -dished out 'so' as to leavexaspacecbel w: the"yokeiportion 48a to permit bending'lof portion 48a. --:Similarly, :theridge: can. extend under the center line of yoke:'48, .thus,allowingboth arms-38 and 40 to .be bent to the side. iEqual- *ly, the left sideof yoke 48 canv be unsupported,

thus allowing left arm 38 to move-while arm 40 remains stationary. Forease. of assembly, yoke 48 extends completely between the :two pairs ofarms 38 and 40. However, this yokesrnaycomprise two separate pieces, onefor supporting each pair of arms, in which case that portion; of athetwo slots 49 ca'n be, elimi- Since certain changes I may i be, madeinathe above apparatus without departinglfrom-theprocessed inconjunction with another sheet maof said housingand hingedlyattached;to.'said housing at a point opposite the point of attachment ofsaid rear door, said main camera housing, said partition and said reardoor;when;in closed operative position forming a first dark chamber forexposure of said photosensitiveisheet material and a' second darkchamber for receiving the photosensitive sheet material afterfit hasbeen superposed with said other sheet material,

spool-holding means for mounting a spool of said photosensitive sheetmateriahsaid spooleh'oldin'g means being attached to said partition on.the

side thereof adjacent to saidfirstdark chamber and adjacent the point atwhich said partition is hinged to said main camera housing, and meanscooperating with said main camera housing and said rear door to providea chamber for receiving ,-cent the hinge for said rear door, oneofsaidial and a coil of said other sheet material may I be ly loaded into thecamera, i

2. In a camera of the classwherein a photosensitive sheet material isexposed and is then processed in conjunction with another. sheetnjaterial by being superposed withsaid other sheet material between apair of pressure-applying members, the combination with saidpressureapplying members of means -for,, ope ratively mounting saidmembers as well as a spool of said photosensitivesheet material and a,co r;elessjcoil -ofsaid othersheetmateriaLsa moun i me ns comprising amain camera housing, ahdoorat the rear .of saidhousing hingedly secured,to said housing, .a partition mounted within the interior of .saidhousing and hingedly attached to said housing ata point opposite ;thepoint of attach; mentof said reardoor, saidmaincamerahousing,

said partition and said rear door when infclosei operative positionforming -a first dark pichamber for exposure of said photosensitivesheet ,ma-

'terial and a second dark chamber for receiving the photosensitive-sheetmaterial, after ithas been superposed with said-other sheetmaterial,spoolholding means for mounting a spool of saidpho- :tosensitive sheetmaterial, said .spoo1-:ho1ding means being attached to said partition on:the side'thereof adjacent to saidfirst dark Tchamber and adjacent thepoint at which said partition is hinged to said main camera housing, and

means cooperating with saidmain cameralhousing and said rear door toprovidea chamberfor receiving the coreless coihof :said'other sheetmaterial, said coil-receiving chamber :being .located adjacent the hinge'for said rear door, one of said pressure-applying members being mountedon said partition adjacentthefree end of said partition and the'other ofsaid pressureapplying members being mounted .on said rear *door, saidpartition and said rear door'vvhen swung into open position renderingaccessible said spool-holding means and said coil-receiving chamber andseparating said pressure-applying members whereby a spool of saidphotosensitive sheet-material and a coil of-said other sheet'me- 'terialmay'be readily loaded into the camera, said coil-receiving chamber andsaid spool-holding means so mounting said coil and-said spool that theaxesthereoi are parallel to the axes of said pressure-applying memberswhenthe main camera'housing partition and-rear door are infclosedoperative position.

In a camera of the class-wherein a-photosensitive sheet material isexposed and isthen processed in conjunction with another sheet materialby'being superposed with said other sheet -mateiial between a pair ofpressure-applying members, the combination with said pressureapplyingmembers of means for eperatively mounting said members as we'll a spoolof said photosensitive sheet material and acoreless coil of said othersheet material, said mounting means comprising a main camera housing, adoor at the rear of said housing hingedlyi secured to ,ceiving thephotosensitive sheet material aft r it f has been superposed withsaidrother sheet material, spool-holding means for mounting a spool ofsaid photosensitive sheet material, said spool-holding means beingattached to said partition onthe side thereof adjacent to said firstdarkchamberand adjacent the point at which saidpartition is hinged tosaidmain camera housing, and means cooperating with said mainoamera'hous'ing and saidirear door to provide a chamber for receivingthe oorelesscoil of said .other sheet material, said coil-receivingchamber being locatedadjacent the hingeflior said rear door, one ofsaidpressure-applying members beins-mo nte on a dt on ad cen h its? endof said partitionandthe other of said pres,- sure-applying members beingmounted on said rear door, said partition and said reardoor when swunginto open position rendering accessible said spool-holding means andsaid coil-receiving chamber and separatingsaid pressi re-applyingmembers whereby a-spool of saidphotosensitive sheet material and a coilof said other sheet matfirial maybe readily loaded into the camera, saidsecond dark chamber being behind said first dark chamber and saidpressure-applying members beingmounted outside said chambers'between theends of the latter and said coil-receiv- -ing chamber when said housing,partition and door are in closed operative position.

4. I n a camera of the class wherein a photosensitive sheet material isexposed and is then processed inconjunction with another sheet ma-;terial by being superposed'with said other sheet material between apair of pressu-re-applying .members, the combination with said pressure-.app y e m m s of :m a for Q e ati ely mounting saidmembers as well asaspooloi said photosensitivesheet material and a coreless coil ,of saidother sheet material, said mountingmeans ,comprisingpa main camerahousing, door at the rear of said housing hingedly secured to saidhousing, a partition mounted Within the interior of said housing andhingedly attachedto said :housingat a point oppositethe point ofattachmentof said rear door, said maincamera housing, said partition andsaid rear doorwhen in closed operative position forming a first darkchamberfor exposure of said photosensitive sheet material and a seconddark chamber for receiving ,the photosensitive sheet material after ithas been superposed with said other sheet material, spool-holding meansfor mounting a spool of said photosensitive sheet material, saidspool-holding means being. attached; to said partition on the sidethereof adjacent to said first dark chamber'and adjacent the point atwhich said partition "is hinged to said main camera housing, andgmeanscooperating with said maincamerahousingand said-reardoorto providea'chamber for receiving the coreless coil of said other sheetmateriaLsaid coil-receiving chamber being; located adjacent the hingefor-said rear door,.one of said pressure- 0 applying members beingmounted on said partition adjacent :the free endlof saidpartition sothatit isclearof the end of said. partition and the other of saidpressure-applying members being mounted on said reandoor,saidpartitionand said rear door when swung into open position renderingaccessible said spool-holding means and said coil-receiving chamber andseparating said pressure-applyingmembers whereby a spool of saidphotosensitive sheet material and a coil of said other sheet materialmaybe readily loaded into the camera,- said second dark chamber beingbehind said first dark chamber and said pressureapplying membereb'eingmounted outside said chambers between the ends of the latter and saidcoil receiving chamber when said housing, partition and do'orare inclosed operative position.

5. In a camera of the class wherein a photosensitive sheet material isexposed and is then processed in conjunction with another'sheet materialby being superposed with said other sheet material between a pair ofpressure rolls, the combination with said pressure rolls of means foroperatively mounting said rolls as well as a spool of'saidphotosensitive sheet material and a coreless coil of said other sheetmaterial, said mounting means comprising a main camerahousir'ig, a' doorat the rear of said housing hingedly secured to said housing, apartition mounted within the interioroisaid housing and hingedlyattached to said h ng at a point opposite the point of attachm of saidrear door, said main camera housing," aid partition and said reag doorwhen in closedpperative position forming a first dark chamb r exposureof said photosensitive sheet mater chamberf fpr receiving thephotosensitive sheet materialaiter it has been isuperposed with saidother sheet material, spool-holding means for mou'ntingfa spool ofsaidphot'osensitive sheet materialflsjaid spool-holding ans beingattached to said partition on the side hereof adjacent tosaidfirst'i'dark chamber and djacent the point at whichlsaid partitionis, ged to said main camera housing, and means cooperating with saidmain camera housing and-isaid-rear door to provid a substantiallycylindrical chamber for receiving the coreless coil of 'jfsaidfgothersheet material, said coil-receiving chamber being located adjacenttliehinge for said rear door, one of said pressure "rolls being mountedglgonsaid partition adjacent,,the free end oif 'said partition so that it isclear" of the end of said .fpartition and the other of' said pressurerolls being mounted on said rear door, said partition and said rear doorwhen swung into open position rendering acces- "sible said spool-holdingmeans and said coilreceiving chamber and separating said pressure Trollswhereby a spool of said photosensitive sheet material and a coil of saidother sheet material said chambers between the ends of the latter andfsaid coil-receiving chamber when said housing,

I Number partition and door are in closed operative position.

MURRY N. FAIRBANK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date 1,057,412 Dey Apr. 1, 1913 1,424,816Grillone Aug. 8, 1922 1,819,848 Simjian Aug. 18, 1931 1,928,235 TaylorSept. 26, 1933 2,017,979 Mayo Oct. 22, 1935 2,253,090 Peterson Aug. 19,1941 2,336,279 Mihalyi Dec. 7, 1943 2,435,719 Land Feb. 10, 1948

